Local boxer Martinez has ample support in his corner

Updated 11:50 pm, Thursday, October 6, 2011

Raul Martinez works out in a room at the Palacio Azteca Hotel in Tijuana, Mexico, ahead of his Saturday title fight against Rodrigo Guerrero. EDWARD A. ORNELAS/eaornelas@express-news.net

Raul Martinez works out in a room at the Palacio Azteca Hotel in Tijuana, Mexico, ahead of his Saturday title fight against Rodrigo Guerrero. EDWARD A. ORNELAS/eaornelas@express-news.net

Local boxer Martinez has ample support in his corner

1 / 1

Back to Gallery

TIJUANA, Mexico — Other than the unsettling sight of machine gun-toting police officers racing past him during his afternoon stroll, Thursday was a day of leisure for San Antonio boxer Raul Martinez.

Following a relaxing breakfast of oatmeal, he worked up a sweat on an elliptical machine in the gym and shadow boxed in his room at the Palacio Azteca hotel.

“This was a day to relax and take it easy,” he said.

All of this was in sharp contrast to a wild Wednesday, his first day in this border town, where Martinez is scheduled to meet Rodrigo Guerrero on Saturday for the vacant IBF super flyweight title.

Upon landing in San Diego following a 6 a.m. flight, Martinez and his team of handlers were whisked off to a news conference. Later they were taken to an autograph signing at — of all places — a Walmart south of the city on the highway to Rosarito.

What should have been a routine trip wound up as a stressful four-hour outing. The SUV and taxi carrying Team Cobrita got lost on the way back to the hotel.

It's clear the trio has a calming influence on the 29-year-old boxer. All three will be in Martinez's corner Saturday night at the Auditorio Municipal.

“I couldn't ask for a better team,” Martinez said. “They're like a second family to me.”

Chavez, 38, took over for regular trainer Fernando Castrejon, who ran into visa issues and could not make the trip.

A two-time world champion during a 17-year pro career, Chavez is close friends with Martinez.

“We all want to do whatever we can to make sure Raul wins this title,” said Chavez, who now runs a boxing gym in Dallas.

Cooper came on board following Martinez's loss to Nonito Donaire in 2009. A former amateur boxer and San Antonio native now living in Dallas, Cooper has brought another dimension to Martinez's workouts.

He has altered some of the training methods, with less of an emphasis on road work and more on wind sprints. He's changed Martinez's eating habits, too, weaning him off dairy products and adding more protein to his diet.

“I try to help Raul with more than just boxing,” said Cooper, 43. “We've had a lot of discussions about life.”

A clinical coordinator at an area health-care company, Villanueva, 56, has been a fixture on the Alamo City fight scene for years, helping administer physicals before various amateur events such as the San Antonio Regional Golden Gloves tournament.

Villanueva says he's ready for a busy night on Saturday. Martinez won a split decision the first time he fought Guerrero, in November 2010, but his face took a beating in the fight. There was a cut below the eye, one on the hairline and considerable bruising.